Glyptothorax hosseinpanahii, Mousavi-Sabet & Eagderi & Vatandoust & Freyhof, 2021

Mousavi-Sabet, Hamed, Eagderi, Soheil, Vatandoust, Saber & Freyhof, Jörg, 2021, Five new species of the sisorid catfish genus Glyptothorax from Iran (Teleostei: Sisoridae), Zootaxa 5067 (4), pp. 451-484 : 468-472

Glyptothorax hosseinpanahii , new species

( Fig. 15–18 )

Holotype. GUIC GTH-H, 90 mm SL; Iran: Kohgiluyeh-va-Boyer Ahmad prov. : Zohreh River at Tange-Shiv, 30.4612 51.3527.

Paratypes. FSJF 4113 , 1 , 36 mm SL; Iran: Khuzestan prov.: Zohreh River at Kheirabad , 30.5295 50.4156 .— IMNRF-UT-1226 , 1 , 75 mm SL; same data as holotype .— VMFC GTH-P1, 1, 58 mm SL; Iran: Kohgiluyeh-va-Boyer Ahmad prov.: Zohreh River at Shah-Bahram , 30.5961 50.8776 .— VMFC GTH-P2, 1, 34 mm SL; Iran: Khuzestan prov.: Zohreh River at Kheirabad , 30.5295 50.4156 .

Material used in molecular genetic analysis. FSJF-DNA-4113; Iran: Khuzestan prov.: Zohreh River at Kheirabad , 30.5295 50.4156 (GenBank accession numbers: MZ959034 ).— IMNRF-UT-1226 ; same data as holotype (GenBank accession numbers: MZ959033 , MZ959035 ) .

Diagnosis. Glyptothorax hosseinpanahii is distinguished from its congeners in the Persian Gulf basin by a combination of characters, none unique to the species. It is distinguished from all other Iranian Glyptothorax except G. silviae by having a very long maxillary barbel (as long as the head, 95–108% HL vs. shorter than head, 57–95). It is distinguished from G. silviae by having the thoracic adhesive apparatus moderately elevated (vs. strongly elevated), with many and long anteromedial striae (vs. short or absent), and shorter mandibular barbels (inner mandibular barbel 25–35% HL vs. 45–48, outer mandibular barbel 46–61% HL vs. 67–74).

The new species is further distinguished from G. alidaeii by having the thoracic adhesive apparatus with many and long anteromedial striae (vs. short or absent), 1.0–1.2 times longer than wide (vs. 1.3 – 1.6), a blunt and roundish head (head length 24–28% SL vs. pointed, 21–24), and a deeply forked caudal fin (shortest middle caudal-fin ray 42–49% of the longest ray of the upper caudal-fin lobe vs. moderately forked, 57–65).

Glyptothorax hosseinpanahii is further distinguished from G. galaxias by having the thoracic adhesive apparatus moderately elevated (vs. strongly elevated), 1.0–1.2 times longer than wide (vs. 1.3 – 1.5), a blunt and roundish head (its length 24–28% SL vs. pointed, 21–23), larger eyes (eye diameter 14–17% HL vs. 10-14), the caudal-peduncle depth 1.3–1.6 times in its length (vs. 1.6–2.1), pointed caudal fin lobes (vs. rounded), a deeply forked caudal fin (shortest middle caudal-fin ray 42–49% of the longest ray of the upper caudal-fin lobe vs. 61–65), and brown spots and blotches on head, back and flank smaller than eye diameter (vs. as large as the eye diameter or slightly larger).

It is distinguished from G. shapuri by having the thoracic adhesive apparatus moderately elevated (strongly elevated), with long and numerous anteromedial striae (vs. very short and few), the caudal-peduncle depth 1.3–1.6 times in its length (vs. 1.1–1.3), and head, back and flank with irregular dark spots or small blotches smaller than eye diameter (vs. irregular shaped dark-brown blotches as large as the eye diameter or larger).

Glyptothorax hosseinpanahii is distinguished from G. pallens by having the thoracic adhesive apparatus moderately elevated (vs. strongly elevated), with many and long (vs. without or with very short) anteromedial striae, and the caudal-peduncle depth 1.3–1.6 times in its length (vs. 1.1–1.3).

The new species is further distinguished from G. armeniacus and G. daemon by having the thoracic adhesive apparatus moderately elevated (vs. strongly elevated), the caudal-peduncle depth 1.3–1.6 times in its length (vs. 1.6–2.1), pointed caudal fin lobes (vs. rounded), and a deeply forked caudal fin (shortest middle caudal-fin ray 42–49% of the longest ray of the upper caudal-fin lobe vs. 62–69 in G. armeniacus , 55–59 in G. daemon ).

Description. Morphometric data as in Table 4 . Head depressed; body subcylindrical. Dorsal head profile straight, predorsal profile slightly convex: Profile rising from tip of snout to dorsal-fin origin, then almost straight, sloping gently ventrally from origin of dorsal fin to end of caudal peduncle. Ventral profile straight to end of caudal peduncle. Caudal-peduncle depth 1.3–1.6 times in its length. Anus and urogenital openings located below tip of adpressed pelvic fin. Skin of back and flank with small, roundish warts, densely set on head, sparsely set on body. Lateral line complete and midlateral. Head broad, spade-shaped when viewed laterally. Snout blunt. Anterior and posterior nares large and separated only by base of nasal barbel. Bony elements of dorsal surface of head covered with thick skin, smooth, without tubercles, with many warts. Eye ovoid, horizontal axis longest; located just below dorsal-head profile. Largest individual recorded 90 mm SL.

Barbels in four pairs. Maxillary barbel broad and thick, reaching to second pectoral-fin ray, velum at proximal part of babel attached to head closer to posterior nare than to eye, warts on outer base of velum, velum smooth. Nasal barbel broad, passing anterior orbital margin and reaching to mid eyes in some individuals. Inner mandibular-barbel extending to isthmus. Outer mandibular barbel reaching pectoral-fin origin. Mouth inferior, premaxillary tooth band partially exposed when mouth is closed. Oral teeth small and villiform, in irregular rows on all tooth-bearing surfaces. Premaxillary teeth appearing in single broad semilunate band. Dentary teeth in a single crescentic band, consisting of two separate halves tightly bound at midline.

Thoracic adhesive apparatus consisting of striae in an elongate oblong field extending from isthmus almost to posterior-most pectoral-fin base ( Fig. 17 ); anterolateral edges of adhesive apparatus slightly convex, often almost straight; its width 1.0–1.2 times in its length; completely situated on a horse-shoe shaped swelling, without warts at its lateral and posterior edge. Anteromedial striae present and well developed. Narrow, spear-blade shaped medial pit on posterior half of thoracic adhesive apparatus. Dorsal fin located above anterior third of body, with 6 branched rays; fin margin straight; spine short and straight, smooth on anterior and posterior margin; distal 1/3 poorly ossified and soft. Adipose fin with anterior margin straight or slightly concave and posterior margin roundish; its origin at vertical through or very slightly in front of anal-fin origin. Caudal fin deeply forked (shortest middle caudal-fin ray 42–49% of longest ray of upper caudal-fin lobe), with pointed lobes, and i,15,i principal rays. Anal-fin base vertically opposite adipose-fin base. Anal fin with straight or slightly convex anterior margin and straight posterior margin; with 7 branched rays. Pelvic-fin origin at vertical through or slightly in front of or behind tip of adpressed dorsal fin. Pelvic fin with slightly convex anterior margin and I,5 rays; tip of adpressed fin not reaching anal-fin origin. Pectoral fin with I,7–8 rays; posterior fin margin straight; anterior spine margin smooth, with many unculi and a honey-comp pattern on lower surface, inner margin with 9–11 serrae. Back anterior to adipose fin flat or slightly rounded, expanded distal tips of neural spines not forming a series of bumps.

Coloration. In 70% ethanol: background colour pale-brown, grey or beige, fading to beige or cream on ventral surfaces of head and anterior belly and on pectoral and pelvic-fin bases. Head, back, flank and fins with irregular set and shaped, dark-brown and silvery-beige spots or small blotches smaller than eye diameter. Latero-sensory pores same colour as surrounding tissue. A beige blotch at dorsal fin origin, triangle-shaped. A beige blotch at adipose fin origin, and a whitish posterior margin. Dorsal fin hyaline with a dark-brown base and median band and a whitish tip. Caudal fin with a dark-brown base, followed by a wide, hyaline band, a dark-brown band and hyaline tips. All other fins hyaline with beige or brown base, usually with a brown, median band. Maxillary and nasal barbels pale-brown to beige dorsally, beige or cream ventrally and velum beige or cream. Mandibular barbels beige or cream.

In life: background colour brown or greyish olive, fading to beige or whitish on ventral surfaces, with few, small irregular black and many silvery-beige spots and / or small blotches on fins, head, back and flank, black spots smaller than eye diameter, silvery-beige spots and blotches often larger than eye-diameter.

Etymology. The species is named for Hossein Panahi-Dezhkooh (1956–2004), the Iranian actor and poet. He born was in Dezhkooh, close to the type locality of G. hosseinpanahii . A noun in genitive, indeclinable.

Distribution. Glyptothorax hosseinpanahii was only found in headwater streams in the upper Zohreh drainage in Iran.

Figures

FIGURE 15. Glyptothorax hosseinpanahii, GUIC GTH-H, holotype, 90 mm SL; Iran: upper Zohreh.

FIGURE 16. Glyptothorax hosseinpanahii, paratypes, from top: IMNRF-UT-1226, 75 mm SL; VMFC GTH-P1, 58 mm SL; FSJF 4113, 36 mm SL; VMFC GTH-P2, 34 mm SL; Iran: Zohreh.

FIGURE 17. Glyptothorax hosseinpanahii, thoracic adhesive apparatus, paratypes, from left: IMNRF-UT-1226, 75 mm SL; VMFC GTH-P1, 58 mm SL; FSJF 4113, 36 mm SL; Iran: Zohreh.

FIGURE 18. Glyptothorax hosseinpanahii, from top: GUIC GTH-H, holotype, 90 mm SL; VMFC GTH-P1, paratype, 58 mm SL; Iran: Zohreh (at Shah-Bahram). Bottom photo by Yaser Fatemi.